THURSDAY - December 17

Feeding Joy

When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, LORD God Almighty. —Jeremiah 15:16

What is your favorite Christmas feast? Are you a traditional American big meal per- son, loading up the table with platters of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, casseroles, cranberry relishes, and pies for dessert? Do you prefer or include other cultural delicacies? Does your table include tamales, latkes, Christmas pudding, Buche de Noel, suckling pig, lutefisk, or other dishes passed down by heritage or family preference? Food plays a big part in holiday traditions around the world. It certainly draws us together as family and friends to reunite and celebrate and share the joys— and sometimes the painful awkwardness—of each other’s company.

How do we choose joy when the painful moments of the season or life in gener- al feel crushingly heavy? One way is to devour God’s Word like Jeremiah, who said, “When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight.” In the same way, they are our spiritual sustenance. They feed us. The principle of “You are what you eat” applies to our spirits as well. As we take in the words of God, savoring and digesting them, they are able to refuel and renew us. They change our perspective and nourish joy within us, and they fill us with the strength to grow stronger, no matter what we are facing. Let’s feast on the promises of God throughout this Advent season.
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How is your spiritual diet? What Scripture will you choose to savor and return to through- out this week?